Bumper guard



E. D. DALL BUMPER GUARD May 10, 194.9.

Filed Jan. 15, 1945 Patented May 10, 1949 @UNITED fOFFFI-CE BUMPER GEUED fEdward:D..-Dall, iDetroit, Mch ..assgnor tty-Hou- .daille-lHershey .Gorporatiom .Detrit, llMioh., a `corporation fMiohgan n ..9Claims. ffl

rlhis invention relates Lto automobile bumper .guards and ,particularly tothefftype oiiloumper guardainwhichthe ,guardrbodm without Ibeing `.entirely detached: from `.the bumper, :mayrbe readily :moved'out of :the wayzso .asfto permittunobstruct- =ed :and tconvenient access to automobile .structuresgsuch as the .trunkbr baggage .compartment '.atxtherreargof ,theiautomobile body.

An important .objectofthednventionris .to :proivid'e .a .guard which may rbe .detachably latched ltothe '.bumper in serv-ce .position to proj ect up- '.fwardlyzfrom the :bumper Tb ar l:behindithe trunk ;or 'baggage :compartment to afford protection 'against bumps ifrom bumpers :on other-fears, l.and '.Whichywh'en .unlatched, may:be.'swung`bodily outlwardly 'and .downwardlyf and shiftedto horizontal -position below and .inwardly fof :the :bumper .'bar to be entirely out of the Way sovth'at .easy unobstructed .access .imay tbe 4had to the :trunk or 'baggage:oompartmentidoor andzoutof thewaytof the knees .or flegs .whenloadingv or Aunloading .the trunkforLbaggage:compartment Y:A urther object 'of `fthe :invention ris torprovide improved `means .for receiving .fand "holding ',the guard body .in'its horizontal fout ofthelwayjposi- 'tion and `to permitit ftobe'rea'dily.' swungbackizfor relatching fthereof 'into @service position :on the loumperbar.

"The various features fof my linvention 'will become fapparen't from lfthe ffollowing specifi-cation in connection with the drawings, in =which drawings Figure '-1 is alon'g'itudina'lfmedian'seotion of the guard, the ifull 'lines 'showing 4it in vser-vice posi- AJtion and the-dotted lines showingit swungf into its 5l'iorizontal or out rof fthe waypos'ition; and

*Figure 2 is .a rear elevation of i the upper-portion lof* the guard.

On the drawings, liindicates'theirearbumper 'bar of -Aan automobile, to l-bebeh'in'dthe trunk or 'baggage `'compartment "at the 'rear fend Vlolz lthe 'automobile body. l-fl indicates 'my improved 1bumper guard which lis usually applied to the rmiddle vof the bumper bar to project, when in `service position, Vupwardlyy 'on the bumperbar *to -protect the trunk -'or 'baggage compartment and the "rea-r -end Vof the automobile body Iagainst bumps by the bumpers on other f automobiles. -A "bracket or bracefbar I-2` is'secured at its 'forward orinwardend to abeam orothers'tructural part I1-3 'of-thevehicle chassis. 'The *baror -bracket lextendsgenerally lhorizontally rearwardlypr outwardlyiromits support |3,"^its outer portion M 'bein'gk deected-'upwardlyfand bent .to the contour o'f ethe "outer Lface fof Y'the bumperbar furto be Ase- .f2 cured thereto fas uby .a rivet or bolt '1.5, .the end :por-tion t zinelining outwardly :away from the rbumper `:bar and :being bent around :to iprovide a hinge sleeve Il.

The guard .body is of;generally channel rorfU- shaped .crossse'ction :and 'comprises fthe front 'impacttwall .'I,8,the Side walls' i9,the top wall 2B -and the-.bottom wall2il. Thezsidewalls have .the ereoessesiZZifor receivingthe bumper bar lzand to 'fltrattheir edges athe Jrontfconvex curvature of the rbarwhen :the :guardxis in service position as shown by .thezfullalines onFigure 1.

`lliitliin ithe iupper ipart of :the yguard body a 'plate .*2'3 is asecured, .as by lwelding, .and to y,the sinnersdeofthisplateaiu -shaped bracket!!! is esecuredzasaby nieans'of a .screw T25. Aifulcrum :pinvZE-extends'throughtheears of fthe bracket 24 toireceivefat its 'iouter ends the 'pair :of links 2 @which :engage :at their :upper sends against the outer sides of :thefears 'of the vbrackets I2li and lextend-.downwardly toreceive Abetween their lower kends'-2`|.ft'he '.hinge sleeve Il through whichends fand-thesleevefa fulcrum vpin 28 extends. The upper 'iper-tions .of the links 2l extend substan- Ltially .inverticaledireotion when the guard is in .servicevpositiom `while the -lower ends 2l' of the Blink .deect-.outwardly for hinge connection with the "sleeve 3H. Extending between and through Lthe links atthe juncture of their upper andlower .portionszis/a-fulcrumpin '29 for a latchlever .3U .whose .body extends upwardly. between the links. l'hislatchlleveris ofy U-shaped cross-section with .its yoke .3.l .adjacent to theiorward edges of .the linksaZ. and .withitsfsides .3.2 extending-rearward- '.Iyadjacent tothe .inner sidesof the llinks. The .lower I.portions 1.3.3 .of the side walls '32 extend rearwardly 'from vthe .fulcrum pin v29 to Yform latch tengueshaving `the 'latchshoulders 34.

IEXtending -between ,the side walls 'le of the fguardlbody -18 .is a keeper'bar 3.5 which maybe secure'dtothe .side walls as by welding. A. spring 'Lilli coilsaround Lthe .pin 29 between .the side walls of lthelatchlever'30,.one end of the spring .enu gaging against the rear side of the latch lever `yyoke-3l while the otherleg of the spring engages againstthe top of the end portion 2l" of one of Lthe links 21. This spring 36 tends'to swing the 'latch lever 3H in counter-'clockwise direction '.(Figure 1') 4tehold'tbe'latch shoulders`3'4 against ithe're'ar. sideiof'thekeeper' bar l35 ltoy thus lockv the 'guard' bodyfin'serviceposition.

Upon rearward'pressurel against 4:the yoke part 'ofthelatohleverfBlthe latch Aleverwill lbe swung iin' clockwise direction kto 'release the =latch shoulders 34 ifrom the 5bar y35 "so that the guard body may then be swung with the links 21 outwardly and downwardly on the hinge connection between the hinge pin 28 and the hinge sleeve I 1, as indicated by the dotted lines on Figure 1. Upon release of the latch lever 30 after such swing of the guard body, the spring will return the latch lever to normal position, such movement being limited by the engagement with the adjacent edges of the links 27 by stop tongues 31 extending from the respective edges of the side walls 32 of the latch lever.

Secured to the bottom wall 2l of the guard body and extending normally forwardly therefrom is a guide member 38 which, as shown, may be a loop of spring wire receiving the brace bar l2 and secured at its outer end to the bottom wall 2| as by a bolt 39. Intermediate the outer portion I4 and the remainder of the brace bar, the bar has an angular upward bend providing the inclined portion di] around which the inner portion of the guide loop 38 extends when the guard is latched in service position. Before application of the loop to the guard body it is longitudinally straight and not bent.

When the guard body is unlatched and is swung outwardly and downwardly into horizontal position, it may be shifted inwardly with the loop passing along the brace bar toward the inner portion di thereof which is convexed upwardly. When the guard body is shifted inwardly into its horizontal position below and inwardly or" the bumper bar I0, the guide loop 38 will unbend as indicated by the dotted lines and will engage with the bar inwardly of the crest of the convex portion 4| and the guard body will then be held in this horizontal position entirely away from the rear of the trunk or baggage compartment and out of the way of the legs of the driver for entirely free access to the trunk or baggage compartment.

When it is now desired to return the guard to its service position, the guard body is shifted outwardly under guide engagement of the loop 38 with the bar i2 and is then swung upwardly with the links 2 on hinge connection with the hinge sleeve Il back into service position against the bumper bar, and as the guard body approaches its service position the beveled lower edge of the keeper bar 35 thereon will engage with the rounded rear end of the latch tongues 33 for reengagement of the latch shoulders 3d in position at the rear or inner side of the bar 35 for relatching of the guard body in service position. As the guard body is being swung into service position, the end of the loop 38 is brought into engagement with the inclined inner side of the bar portion 40 and the loop is bent up, as shown by the full lines, and then, after latching of the guard body, the loop, by its spring action, exerts inward pull and upward pressure on the guard body to hold the lower part thereof against the bumper bar, and to hold the linkage against its fulcrums so as to take up lost motion and prevent rattling when the guard is in service position.

I have thus produced a simpie but eincient bumper guard which may be readily latched into service position on a bumper bar or swung downwardly into horizontal position to be shifted and supported out of the way below and inwardly of the bumper bar, and whose various parts are all in the form of simple sheet metal parts. I do not, however, desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement, and operation shown and described as changes and modiiications may be a o i'.

4 made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bumper guard structure comprising a bracket attachable against the outer side of a bumper bar to extend transversely thereof, a guard body, a link pivoted at its upper end to the upper end of said body and having hinged connection at its lower end with said bracket for bodily swing of said body away from the bumper bar and downwardly into horizontal position, a latch connection between said link and said body for holding said body in vertical service position, said bracket at its lower end having a substantially horizontally disposed extension, a guide element on the lower end of said body receiving said extension to travel inwardly therealong for guiding said body into horizontal position below and inwardly of said bumper bar.

2. A bumper guard structure comprising a supporting bracket attachable to the outer side of a bumper bar, a guard body engageable against the outer side of the bumper bar to extend upwardly therefrom when in service position, a

.' link pivoted at its upper end to the upper end of said body and at its lower end having hinge connection with said bracket, latch means for* holding said body in service position, the lower part of said bracket extending inwardly relative to said bumper bar, a guide member on the lower end of said body receiving said extension, said body, after release of said latching means, being bodily swingable with said link on said hinge connection downwardly away from the bumper i bar and then shiftable inwardly of the bumper bar under guidance of said guide member in substantially horizontal position below and inwardly of the bumper bar.

3. An` automobile bumper guard structure comprising a supporting bracket attachable to the outer side of a bumper bar to extend transversely thereof, a guard body shaped to engage against the outer side of the bumper bar and to extend upwardly therefrom when in service position, a link pivoted at its upper end to the upper end of said body and having hinged connection at its lower end with the upper end of said bracket, a guide bar extending inwardly from the lower end of said bracket, a guide member on the lower end of said body receiving said guide bar, outward and then downward swing of said link relative to said bumper bar about the pivot provided by said connection hinge causing said body to swing downwardly and shift inwardly under the guidance engagement of said guide member with said guide bar to bring said body into position below and inwardly of the bumper bar, and latch means for releasablyfholding said body in service position on the bumper bar.

4. A bumper guard structure comprising a supporting bracket having a vertical portion for attachment to a bumper bar and a substantially horizontal portion extending inwardly from the bumper bar, a guard body engageable when in service position against the bumper bar to project upwardly therefrom, a guide member on the lower end of said body having guide engagement with the horizontal part of said bracket, a linkage connection between the upward end of said body and the vertical part of said bracket whereby upon outward and downward swing of said linkage the body will be swung downwardly and under guidance of said guide member on said horizontal bracket part will be shifted into substantially horizontal position below and. inwardly of the bumper bar, and releasable latch means between said body and said linkage for normally latching said body in service position.

5. A bumper guard structure comprising a supporting bracket having a substantially vertical portion for attachment against the outer side of a bumper bar and having a substantially horizontal portion extending inwardly from the bumper bar, a guard body adapted when in service position to engage against the outer side of the bumper bar and to project upwardly therefrom, a guide member at the lower end of said body having guide engagement with the horizontal part of said bracket, a linkage connection between the upper end of said body and the vertical portion of said bracket swingable away from the bumper bar and then downwardly for causing bodily downward swing of said body and lateral shift thereof under guidance of said guide member into substantially horizontal position below and inwardly of the bumper bar, a latch lever on said linkage, and an abutment on said body engageable by said latch lever to normally latch said body in service position.

6. A bumper guard structure comprising, in combination, a support attachable to a bumper bar, a guard body, a releasable service connection between said body and said support, coope erative means on said support and on said body operative in the released condition of the body to guide the body into an out of the way position inwardly relative to the associated bumper bar, said cooperating means comprising a guide bar extending inwardly relative to the bumper bar from said support, and a spring loop on said body engaged about said bar, said guide bar having portions thereon cooperable with said spring loop for respectively maintaining the structure rattle-free in the service condition of the body and for retaining the body in said out of the Way position when released and moved into the latter position.

7. In combination in a bumper guard structure, a bumper guard body, means for releasably supporting the bumper guard body in service position relative to a bumper, and movement controlling structure including a bar element extending inwardly relative to the bumper a distance approximately equal to the length of the guard body 6 and a loop on the lower end of the guard body slidably engaging said bar element for guiding the guard body into a horizontal position below and rearwardly of the bumper upon release from said service position.

8. A bumper guard structure comprising a bracket attachable against the outer side of a bumper bar to extend transversely thereof, a guard body, a link pivoted at its upper end to the upper end portion of said body and having hinged connection at its lower end with said bracket for bodily swinging of said body away from and downwardly relative to the bumper bar into a horizontal position below the bumper bar, latch means for holding said body in vertical service position., an elongated bar element extending inwardly relative to said bracket a distance approximately equal to the length of said guard body, and guide structure on the lower end portion of said guard body slidably engaging said bar element for guiding the guard body into said horizontal position slung under said bar element.

9. In combination in a bumper guard, an elongated bumper guard body, a link pivotally connested at one end to the guard body, means providing a hinge connection for the opposite end of the link with a bumper, the link being of a length to drop the bumper guard from an upright service position relative to and projecting above the bumper into a position below the bumper, an lelongated member extending rearwardly beyond the lower end of the guard body, considered with respect to its service position, a distance at least as great as the length of the guard body, and means on the lower end portion of the guard body connecting it with said member to guide the lower portion of the guard body rearwardly when the guard body is dropped as aforesaid.

EDWARD D. DALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,173,276 Jandus et al. Sept. 19, 1939 2,179,070 Weise Nov. 7, 1939 

